Health care professionals agree that a flu shot offers the best available protection against the influenza virus. That message is getting a push Dec. 4-10, proclaimed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as National Influenza Vaccination Week.
“It not only protects you from the flu, it also prevents the virus from spreading, so it’s critically important from a public health standpoint,” says Dr. Trini Mathew, infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at the UConn Health Center. “Even if you’re not worried about coming down with the flu yourself, you can still do your part to reduce the risk for others around you, especially young children, the elderly, pregnant women, those with compromised immune systems, and others who may be at high risk of developing flu-related complications.”
The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone age 6 months and older. Vaccination rates historically tend to drop significantly after the end of November, suggesting a misconception that a flu shot received in December and beyond is too late to be effective.
The UConn Health Center Employee Health Service is offering flu vaccinations for employees, medical residents, students and volunteers, who can call 860-679-2893 for an appointment. No appointment is necessary Thursday, Dec. 8, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Dr. Trini Mathew on “Face Connecticut”
Dr. Trini Mathew discusses the importance of the flu vaccine on “Face Connecticut,” a weekly public affairs program that aired Nov. 27, 2011, on WTIC NewsTalk 1080 and 96.5 TIC-FM.
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